Chelsea v Birmingham

[german-blue]

Chelsea will line-up in a 4-3-3 formation as follows:

1 Petr Cech

2 Glen Johnson

6 Ricardo Carvalho

22 Tal Ben-Haim

3 Ashley Cole

24 Shaun Wright-Phillips

5 Michael Essien

8 Frank Lampard ©

15 Florent Malouda

21 Salomon Kalou

14 Claudio Pizarro

Substitutes: 23 Carlo Cudicini, 9 Steve Sidwell, 12 John Mikel Obi, 10 Joe Cole, 15 Didier Drogba.

source: chelseafc.com

[The Moos]

No defenders on the bench?

This means that Essien will play in the defence some time during the game

[german-blue]

Forsell will start for Birmingham.

I wonder why Joe is on the bench and Kalou is starting.

Good to know that Drogba made the bench. SWP will play in midfield, Mikel on the bench. Sorry but that is really annoying in my eyes.

[german-blue]

No defenders on the bench?

This means that Essien will play in the defence some time during the game

Proably Alex isnt ready, not even for the bench.

[The Moos]

No defenders on the bench?

This means that Essien will play in the defence some time during the game

Proably Alex isnt ready, not even for the bench.

Too bad. But what about Ferreira? I haven't heard that he's injured.

[german-blue]

Proably its 4-4-2 with wingers. and it looks like that:

---------------------Cech-------------------------

--GJ----------Carv------Ben Haim-------Cash--

--SWP--------Essien----Lampard-------Malouda

---------------Pizza------Kalou--------------------

[Gem]

Official site says 4-3-3 and 4-4-2

1 Petr Cech

2 Glen Johnson

6 Ricardo Carvalho

22 Tal Ben-Haim

3 Ashley Cole

24 Shaun Wright-Phillips

5 Michael Essien

8 Frank Lampard ©

15 Florent Malouda

21 Salomon Kalou

14 Claudio Pizarro

[german-blue]

1-1 Pizza !!

[Kev123]

2-1 Malouda!!!

I've enjoyed this 30 minutes more then the last 5 Chelsea games put together. We are playing very well and tearing them apart, that goal they scored was completely against the run of play.

[german-blue]

2-2

Johnno at his best !!!!!!

[Kev123]

2-2

Johnno at his best !!!!!!

I can't believe it

[BackInBlue]

HT and I can't, for the life of me understand, how it is 2-2. We have completely dominated and played some beautiful football while at it but somehow the game is level. Good thing is I can see us scoring more in the second half.

[german-blue]

HT 2-2

Very entertaining.

SWP was just amazing. Great performance so far

2-2 is an joke, they had two attempts on goal and score two times.

[german-blue]

3-2 ESSIEN !!!!

[Kev123]

It's good to hear the crowd, "Pizarro!! Pizzaro!!!"

He has played very well so far today

[Bjmel1]

Ref better start protecting our players before they join the injury list.

[Kev123]

Kalou is a very skillful player but his finishing is awful. He's had 5 good chances at least this game. Still he's played well barring the missed chances

[german-blue]

3:2

The first 3 points in the bag !

[german-blue]

Kalou should have scored at least one goal. Horrible finishing !!

GJ?s attacking was first class, his defending horrible at times.

Pizzaro looked sharp and dangerous, very good.

Lampard got better as the game went on, controlled midfield very good

Essien?s goal first class, but injured off !!

SWP motm, his best match

[g3.7]

really entertaining stuff today. I'm very happy.

[Liam]

Fantastic stuff. Thanks lads and thanks Mourinho for setting the team up like that.

I'm in love with football again.

[lchk]

Brilliant inter-link play from defence to attack for the Blues!

A point of great concern is that we are vulnerable on the right side as SWP ain't exactly the greatest in tracking back and is physically too small to be of much help in defending AND Glen Johnson has been a major disappointment in the two games he has featured for the first team (Community Shield and last night's game). His defensive positioning and man-marking is almost non-existent at times of attacking pressure from opposition teams.

We really need to get Alves onboard ASAP or else we will ship more goals coming from the right flank.

[evissy]

Brilliant inter-link play from defence to attack for the Blues!

A point of great concern is that we are vulnerable on the right side as SWP ain't exactly the greatest in tracking back and is physically too small to be of much help in defending AND Glen Johnson has been a major disappointment in the two games he has featured for the first team (Community Shield and last night's game). His defensive positioning and man-marking is almost non-existent at times of attacking pressure from opposition teams.

We really need to get Alves onboard ASAP or else we will ship more goals coming from the right flank.

Agreed. Though I'm not completely sure is Alves any better in the defence. GJ was really good in the attack.

Our attack looked so good, god dam*. Kalou, SWP and Malouda were all brilliant. If Robben has set his heart on the move, he probably feels really good right now. It took 0 seconds for Pizarro to adjust to the english game that's about 1 season less than Sheva, although if we had played with this formation last season Sheva would probably have netted a couple more than he did.

I was more than sure that my avatar would put one past us. He has been so good during the pre-season. It was really nice to see him not celebrate his goal.

[Guest Brian M]

It took 0 seconds for Pizarro to adjust to the english game that's about 1 season less than Sheva

In Sheva's defence, we didn't exactly play to his strengths last season. Plus, Germany's a lot more like the EPL than Italy.

But you're spot on, if we play like this, with players criss crossing and over-lapping seemingly at will, Sheva's intelligent runs will get him 15 + goals this season.

[lchk]

Agreed. Though I'm not completely sure is Alves any better in the defence. GJ was really good in the attack.

Alves has to be better ability-wise in defending and positioning than Glen Johnson as he's an experienced international. The only negative might be that Alves might need some time to adjust to the relentless forays down the wing by English teams.